'Arrow' Season 2: Is Oliver Queen Getting a Costume Change?

The moment the CW's 'Arrow' first debuted a look at actor Stephen Amell in his minimalist Green Arrow costume, we knew we were in for a more grounded take on the superhero mythology. Midway through season 2 however, enough has transpired on the DC-fueled drama that Oliver Queen can no longer hide his identity behind a hood, and green facepaint. Find out what the future of 'Arrow' looks like with Oliver's newest costume design!

While still a far cry from the Robin Hood-inspired attire of early comics, Entertainment Weekly has revealed that 'Arrow' will take a small season 2 step toward turning Oliver Queen into the masked hero of DC lore, providing the character with a literal domino mask to replace the green paint around his eyes present since the pilot. The change may not appear all that noticeable at a glance, but producers had in mind a specific purpose for granting the character a bit more anonymity in his appearance.

Says executive producer Andrew Kreisberg of the cosmetic tweak:

Conceptually, it was something we wanted to do because Oliver himself is evolving as the Arrow– from vigilante to hero, sort of from Arrow to Green Arrow — and we wanted to see that progression in his costume as well. As Oliver is embracing being a hero, being a hero means stepping out of the dark and being more of a symbol, so he has to stake steps to conceal his identity more...It’s going to allow the Arrow to interact with people who don’t know his identity in a much more organic way than having him constantly keep his head down.

Indeed, one only need look as far back as early November's "League of Assassins" to observe Oliver's disguise straining credulity, as Officer Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) managed to deduce his long-lost daughter Sara (Caity Lotz)'s identity as the female vigilante within mere minutes. Despite the sudden transparency, Lance curiously never reached the adjacent revelation that Oliver Queen could be the hooded hero, even as Queen's own secretary maintains a known connection to the Arrow. Even later in the episode, Lance fought alongside the Arrow in a well-lit room, Amell noticeably keeping the character's face in shadow wherever possible.

Oliver's masked 'Arrow' debut will take place in the December 11 installment "Three Ghosts," the costume tweak arriving as a plot point within the episode provided by another character. “It’s going to be a little bit of a surprise, and once they see how the mask comes into creation, I think people will be really excited about it.”

You can check out Entertainment Weekly's photos of the new 'Arrow' costume below, and tell us in the comments if you like the new look!